Income needed? (Irvine, Tustin: fit in, rent, daycare)

[DDavid]

Anyone...please help.
Our family (husband & I with 2 girls) thinking of moving to either Tustin or Irvine, CA

We are having a hard time trying to figure out the following?
How much of a salary do you need to be able to "live" in Irvine? or not run of out money by the end of the month
100K, 125K, 150K ???

We know that we do not plan to buy right now...so renting a 4 BR is about $3000 a month.

Can anyone help with average per month....how much the utilities would cost?

Average food/groceries - is it that expensive?
We cook a lot....so we dont plan to eat out that much, we mostly buy food at the grocery store & cook.

Any other expenses?

Thanks for your help!

[mcorrales]

Irvine is an expensive city. Food, utilities, cable, gas, is all more expensive in SoCal than where I live now in PA. I would never get back in that rat race if possible to avoid it.

[DDavid]

Thanks, but I know Irvine is expensive....we know live in the suburbs of Chicago and its expensive too.

The questions are:
How much of a salary do you need to be able to "live" in Irvine? or not run of out money by the end of the month
100K, 125K, 150K ???

Can anyone help with average per month....how much the utilities would cost?

I understand not everyone can enjoy that area due to financial issues, but please reply if you are living well and can help in letting me know how much salary is enough
Thanks!

[EscapeCalifornia]

Using the rent = max of 1/3 of gross pay forumula, you should make $108k with that rent. With two kids, you'd probably want that to be 1/4 instead. So that's $144k. Utility costs will vary widely depending on how frugal you are. Do you like to run 20kw halogens 24/7 or do you run CF lights and turn them off when you leave a room. If I had to take a stab at it, I'd guess $100-150/mo for electric, $25-75/mo for gas depending on season (assuming gas central heat), maybe $50/mo for water/sewer/trash assuming that's a 4 bedroom house with a lawn to water. Yep, it takes money to live here comfortably.

[Mach50]

150k a year should do it, assuming no CC debt, no car notes, no daycare needed for the kids.

Even at 150k w/2 kids it is going to be really tight, there is a lot of pressure here for kids to fit in with their rich (or in-debt) friends.

[AS-ISlender]

LOL, good answer Mach50. 150k would have to be the bottom range. Unless you like huge government blocks of cheese. I find that friends that have moved here (The OC) from other places either try keeping up with the Jones, or just sit back and laugh at all the crazy people trying to keep up with the Jones. What you end up becoming will determine whether 150k is enough.

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by AS-ISlender

LOL, good answer Mach50. 150k would have to be the bottom range. Unless you like huge government blocks of cheese. I find that friends that have moved here (The OC) from other places either try keeping up with the Jones, or just sit back and laugh at all the crazy people trying to keep up with the Jones. What you end up becoming will determine whether 150k is enough.

It really comes down to that, and for those who try to sit back and laugh, the joke usually wears off, then they get up and leave OC lol.